Field surveys of vegetation during a period of rising electric power generation in the Ohio River Valley
The phytotoxicity of SO/sub 2/, a byproduct of smelting operations and generation of electricity from fossil fuels, has been known for over a century. Yet, there is disagreement over the potential risk to vegetation by SO/sub 2/ emissions in the U.S. and controversy over the environmental impact of increasing utilization of coal. Combustion of coal and generation of electricity were increasing rapidly in the 1970s, so a program of annual surveys of vegetation was initiated in an area where two new generating stations were to be constructed in addition to two existing ones. The objective was to determine whether increases in SO/sub 2/ emissions would be accompanied by the appearance of foliar symptoms on trees, weeds, crops, or ornamental plants and/or disappearance of SO/sub 2/ susceptible species of lichens. Vegetation surveys have been carried out around emission sources at many different locations to identify air pollutants, locate emission sources, delineate the area of exposure, determine compensation for injury to plants, and evaluate suitability of alternate sites for new emission sources. Observations of higher vegetation are useful because certain species develop characteristic foliar symptoms after exposure to individual episodes of elevated SO/sub 2/. Mapping of lichen populations is also useful because, over long periods of time, lichens respond to repeated or extended exposures to concentrations of SO/sub 2/ that do not necessarily produce characteristic symptoms on foliage of higher plants. The area of study was located in southeastern Ohio and northwestern West Virginia along both sides of the Ohio River. Results of the surveys are presented.
- Research Organization:
- Boyce Thompson Inst., Ithaca, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 6830532
- Journal Information:
- J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Vol. 34:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LICHENS
INJURIES
OHIO VALLEY REGION
AIR POLLUTION
PLANTS
POWER GENERATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
ELECTRIC POWER
METEOROLOGY
OHIO
OHIO RIVER
POLLUTION SOURCES
WEST VIRGINIA
ALGAE
CHALCOGENIDES
FEDERAL REGION III
FEDERAL REGION V
FUNGI
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POWER
RIVERS
STREAMS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
SURFACE WATERS
USA
560303* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)